Sunday, December 15, 2013

Just as I was getting over another extended family member passing on, we got word of another who passed away yesterday. It is never a happy time to celebrate the life of someone who has passed on, but it is especially difficult around the holidays.Shortly after getting together for Thanksgiving at the home of my sister-in-law's parents house, where she and her mom made a very delicious meal and we had a great time, her mom passed away suddenly. The family once again gathered to celebrate her life, surrounded by her favorite things. Her passing on really touched me, she was such a special lady who was once so full of life. She was never the same after her son overdosed on Thanksgiving Day two years ago. The irony hit me as we sat in her home on Thanksgiving Day and especially on the day the celebrated her life. The decades of family gatherings she hosted also flooded my thoughts. Awesome memories!Life is fragile. Seems like all I write about is death and food.It has been a long time since I have counted the weeks we have not had running water. The process continues and there is no end in sight. My sense of humor sometimes escapes me. Imagine living without running water . . . it has been since October. My husband has gone through this ordeal relatively painlessly since everything is a fun adventure to him and most of the time that mentality has worked for me, but I do lose it at times. That is usually when we visit my mom and feel like we are at a retreat with a spa. Looks like we won't be ready for a new pump purchase by the end of December, so . . . my Christmas wish will probably not come true. Oh well, it is not the end of the world especially in light of celebrating the lives of two very special people who have touched my life in a meaningful way. Cherish those special people in your life . . . you never know how long they will be in your life.Hope you are having a festive holiday season!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

The Captain and I packed a bag or two for ourselves and Kiki and off we went to spend some time with my mom. It was nice to not experience anxiety over not having running water and a general mess I have grown weary of dealing with. My mom's house became more of a relaxing vacation retreat and we stayed longer than expected as we luxuriated in "normal" surroundings. We really enjoyed visiting with my brother and his family on Thanksgiving Day. The food was awesome and we had a very satisfying pig out day compliments of my sister-in-law and her mother, who are excellent cooks. It was a beautiful day to hang out on the screened porch and savor the gorgeous Florida weather, although there was a bit of a nip in the air.The only negative aspect of staying at mom's house is no internet, although it was nice to get away from behind the monitor and do silly stuff like play cards.Yes, it was difficult to come back home to less than comfortable surroundings, but life circumstances are not always pleasant. The Captain ordered the necessary materials to work toward getting the well working again and everything should come in by the end of the week. Hopefully, we will have running water by Christmas!